Freedom of Speech & Expression

August 2021

News/West Papua
Tabloid JUBI – August 30, 2021

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Papua chief public prosecutor's office on Monday August 30 to demand that the Papuan chief public prosecutor immediately release West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Victor Yeimo from detention so he can be treated in hospital.

News/West Papua
CNN Indonesia – August 28, 2021

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has issued a subpoena against lawyer and human rights activist Haris Azhar over accusations that Pandjaitan is involved in the mining business in Wabu Block in Intan Jaya, Papua.

News/Indonesia
Kompas.com – August 27, 2021

Tatang Guritno, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the government has been excessive in dealing with the emergence of murals with a critical tone drawn by the public.

News/Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – August 25, 2021

Jakarta – A number of murals and graffiti with a critical tone on walls in busy locations have been removed recently. The aggressive removal of the critical murals has largely been done by regional officials and police in their respective areas.

News/Indonesia
Kompas.com – August 20, 2021

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia is concerned that the public will become even more reluctant to express an opinion after police acted excessively by hunting down and arresting a person who painted a mural critical of the government.

News/Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – August 18, 2021

Jakarta – A 20-year-old man with the initials RS has been questioned by police after offering a T-shirt with a picture resembling the "Jokowi 404: Not Found" mural on social media several days ago.

News/Indonesia
Kompas.com – August 18, 2021

Fitria Chusna Farisa, Jakarta – Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko has asked the public not to criticise President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in a reckless manner. After all, the president is a parent to the ordinary people and must be respected.

News/West Papua
Suara Papua – August 16, 2021

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – The Yahukimo West Papua National Committee (KNPB) says that police forcibly broke up a peaceful protest action on Monday August 16 arresting scores of people and shooting one person in the Dekai district of Yahukimo regency, Papua.

News/West Papua
CNN Indonesia – August 16, 2021

Jakarta – A rally by protesters from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Jayapura, Papua, was forcibly and violently broken up by police on Monday August 16. Two people were injured after being allegedly struck by rattan sticks.

News/Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – August 14, 2021

Jakarta – Jakarta State University (UNJ) sociologist Ubedilah Badrun has criticised the actions of authorities in removing murals containing social criticisms of the government such as a mural depicting President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo with the message "404: Not Found" in Tangerang and a mural reading "Forced to be well in a country that is sick"